Letting Jezebel Call the shots costs Ahab his Posterity. — 2 Kings 21:7,25-29, Psalm 51:17.
But what is God’s response to Ahab?
This story gives us a window into Jezebel’s ongoing wickedness.
Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard, but he won’t sell as it was a generational property.
So Ahab came home and sulked, but Jezebel knew what to do when she wanted something.
1 Kings 21:7 (NIV84) Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
So, she sends a letter to the leaders of the town Naboth. She tells them to have a feast and then have two scoundrels sit on either side of Naboth and tell how he was against God and King and then take him out and stone him. And they did! Look, the vineyard is available now that Naboth is out of the way.
Jezebel, hmmm – that person you don’t like or is in your way. Just get rid of them.
God hates this and sends Elijah to tell Ahab that because he did this, he will die, and so will everyone in his family.
Look at Ahab’s response.
1 Kings 21:27 (NIV84) “When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.”
One would think after reading verse 26 – who cares?!”
1 Kings 21:25–26 (NIV84) “There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.” “He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.”
But look at God’s response.
1 Kings 21:28–29 (NIV84) “Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.””
This passage is very disturbing. From what to do with the Jezebel’s in our lifes who think canceling people to get what you want is a real answer, to being willing to devise a plan to destroy someone’s life just so you can have something.
But what do we see again from God?
Mercy!
He responds to repentance and a contrite spirit. Even for people who let Jezebel take people out so they can get what they want. Yes, we can point back to 2 Chronicles 7:14, but I hear this verse lived out in this text:
Psalm 51:17 (NIV84) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
I don’t know what you have done, or thought, or who you have hurt and what harm you may have caused. I don’t know how overraught you may be about the true guilt of your sin.
What I do know is that God is full of mercy, especially to those who acknowledge their sin, who repent, and show humility.
I continue to be amazed at the mercy of God.
